Folding carrier for paper cups



Jan. 14, 1969 R. M. CARSON FOLDING CARRIER FOR PAPER CUPS Filed A ril 14, 1967 Sheet aymond MCarso n IN VENTOR,

0 and 0 Wm Jan. 14, 1969 R. M. CARSON FOLDING CARRIER FOR PAPER CUPS Sheet 7 Filed April 14, 1967 Raymond M. Carson INVENTOR.

United States Patent Y 3,421,790 FOLDING CARRIER FOR PAPER CUPS Raymond M. Carson, Rte. 1, Box 101, Faxon, Okla. 73540 Filed Apr. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 631,016 US. Cl. 294-8716 Int. Cl. B66c 1/10 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The carrier of the instant invention is specifically adapted to support and to be utilized in carrying one or more cups of coffee or soft drinks and the like and may also be utilized to support other similar articles.

The carrier of the instant invention may be formed from a rectangular blank of sheet material such as cardboard by cutting the blank along predetermined lines and folding certain portions of the blank. The carrier includes no portions thereof. which may not be formed from the single panel-like blank and therefore may be readily produced at a minimum cost.

In addition, other than the carrying handle portion of the carrier, substantially all portions of the blank are utilized in forming the portion of the carrier which supports the articles to be carried. In this manner, a maximum plan area in which to support the articles to be carried is provided for a given total plan area of the blank from which the carrier is formed.

In addition to being readily constructed of a sheet of cardboard or the like, it is also envisioned that the carrier of the instant invention may be formed of other sheet material such as plastic, Also, the carrier of the instant invention includes a handle construction from which the article supporting portion of thecarrier is supported at a plurality of evenly spaced points.

The main object of this invention is to provide a carrier for articles such as paper cups and which may be readily formed from a blank of sheet material.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a carrier constructed in a manner such that it may be readily modified so as to be adapted to carry various types of articles.

Still anotherobject of this invention is to provide a carrier including a handle portion from which the article supporting portions thereof are supported at a plurality of evenly spaced points.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a carrier including structural features enabling it to be readily formed from a precut blank constructed of different materials.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carrier which may be varied in size merely by varying the size of the blank from which it is formed and duplicating certain cuts to be formed in the blank.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an article carrier in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be g 3,421 ,790 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 economically feasible, long lasting and convenient to'use for. carrying various types of articles.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more'fully hereinafter de scribed and claimed, reference being had to the accorn' panying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which;

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a precut blank from which the cup carrier may be readily formed;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the blank partially folded into position forming the carrier of the instant invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view ofthe carrier in one of its fully folded positions;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the carrier illustrating a second fully folded position;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but illustrating a smaller form of the carrier;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but illustrating the smaller form of carrier; and

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view of the carrier folded to the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates the folding carrier of the instant invention and which may be seen in FIGURE 3 of the drawings in its fully folded operative position for supporting a plurality of cups of liquid.

The carrier 10 may be readily constructed from a blank 12, see FIGURE 1, of suitable material such as cardboard or sheet plastic. The blank 12 has four U-shaped cuts 14 formed therein and it may be seen that the cuts 14 are arranged in side by side pairs of cuts opening toward op posite ends of the blank 12. The tabs 16 formed by the cuts 14 each have a centrally disposed V- shaped notch 18 cut in their free marginal edge portions centrally intermediate their opposite ends and each tab 16 has a short slit 20 cut therein with one end of the slit 20 opening into the apex portion of the corresponding notch 18. Further, each pair of coresponding tab portions 16 have a pair of circular openings 22 formed therein and the four U-shaped cuts 14 define a centrally disposed transversely extending elongated handle 24 including pairs of oppositely outwardly directed leg" portions 26 at opposite ends of the handle 14 and a pair of oppositely directed center leg portions 28 intermediate the opposite ends of the handle 24.

From FIGURE 1 of the drawings it may be seen that the blank 12 is rectangular in configuration and that substantially all portions of the blank fonm either the portions thereof defining the openings 22 which are adapted to receive the cups to be carried or the handle 24 and leg portions 26 and 28. Therefore, maximum usage of the blank 12 is utilized.

In order to form the carrier 10 from the blank 12, the handle 24 is upwardly displaced in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings whereupon the leg portions 26 and 28 will bend relative to the medial plane of the blank 12 as at 30 and 32, respectively, and the handle 24 will bend along its center line 34. Of course, the blank 12 may be creased or otherwise prepared for bending along the center line 34 and in the areas 30 and 32.

Upon upward displacement of the handle 24 the opposing ends of the tabs 16 are displaced toward each other and the wings 36 and 38 defined by each tab 16 on opposite sides of the slot 20 thereof are oppositely overlapped with the tabs or wings 38 and 36, respectively, of

"ice

- the opposing tab 16.

3 fold the blank 12 into the carrier 10, the portions of the tabs 16 defining the inner ends of the slots or slits 20 are seated against the corresponding portions of the opposing tab 16 thus interlocking the free ends of the tabs 16 against downward displacement.

It will be noted that the openings 22 disposed on each side of the handle 24 define central portions of article supporting areas of the tab portions 16 and include aligned diameters extending along or centered relative to the lines upon which the lower ends of the associated leg portions 26 and 28 are attached and bent relative to the blank 12 and thus that each pair of openings 22 disposed on one side of the handle 24 are aligned with the points of attachment of the lower ends of the leg portions 26 and 28 to the remainder of the blank 12.

' In this manner, the lower ends of the leg portions 26 and 28 are aligned with the centers of the corresponding cups 40. With further reference to FIGURE 7 of the drawings it may be seen that the downward force applied to the portions of the blank 12 aligned with the lines along which the leg portions 26 and 28 are bent relative to the remainder of the blank 12 has a tendency to urge the lower ends of the leg portions 26 and 28 disposed on opposite sides of the handle 14 together and therefore that the portions of opposing tabs 16 defining the inner ends of the slits or slots 20 are maintained in abutting engagement with each other.

Further, from FIGURE 3 of the drawings it may be seen that the openings 22 project into the notches formed in the opposing tabs 16 and therefore that the free end portions of the wings 36 and 38 immediately adjacent the notches 18 are adapted to abut the cups 40 supported in the openings 22 of the opposing tabs 16.

With attention now invited to FIGURE 4 of the drawings it may be seen that the opposing tabs 16 of the blank 12 may be fully overlapped so as to register the openings 22 therein and so as to swing the lower ends of opposing leg portions 26 and 28 into engagement with each other. In this manner, the carrier 10 may be converted from a carrier for four cups to a carrier for two cups. Further, it is to be understood that the blank 12 may be of a dimension paralleling the handle 24 so as to make the handle 24 as long as desired and to thereby construct a carrier which will be capable of carrying six, eight or even more cups. Of course, if the carrier 10 is constructed of a size to include six openings 22, the carrier 10 may then either carry six cups when folded in the manner similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings or three cups when folded in the manner similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings.

With attention now invited to FIGURE of the drawings, it may be seen that the carrier may also be constructed so as to include a shorter handle 24' corresponding to the handle 24 and including only one pair of opposing tabs 16'. Of course, this form of carrier generally referred to by the reference numeral 10 is adapted to carry either two cups 40 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings or only one cup 40 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings when the tab portions 16' are fully overlapped with their openings 22' registered.

Further, the handle 24' may include impressed or builtup rib portions 25 as desired to afford greater strength to the handle.

It has been found that the positioning of the openings 22 and 22 relative to the lower ends of the corresponding leg portions enables the carriers 10 and 10' to support considerable weight. Of course, it is also envisioned that articles other than cups 40, and such as ice cream cones, maye be carried by the carrier 10 or the carrier 10' and that the tab portions 16 and 16 may be otherwise perforated than by the openings 22 and 22' in order to adapt the carriers 10 and 10' to carry articles other than cups.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An article holding device constructed from a single sheet of material and comprising an elongated handle defining portion including a pair of downwardly and laterally outwardly projecting divergent legs on each end defining a set of legs on each side of the handle defining portion with said sets of legs supported from said handle defining portion for relative swinging movement of their lower ends toward and away from each other, and a separate supporting member extending between and integrally formed with the lower ends of each set of legs, said supporting members comprising horizontal panel-like sections including article supporting areas disposed intermediate each set of legs, each article supporting area having a central portion disposed on a line which connects the lowermost portions of the corresponding set of legs and each panel-like section including a portion projecting toward and engageable with the corresponding portion of the opposing panel-like section on the opposite side of the handle defining portion to prevent the lower end portions of the legs of each set of legs from swinging toward each other.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said central areas are defined by article receiving openings formed in said panel-like sections.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said panel-like sections have article receiving openings formed therein.

4. The combinations of claim 3 wherein said openings include diameters along which the lower ends of the legs supporting the corresponding panel-like sections are spaced.

5. An article holding device comprising an elongated handle defining portion including a pair of downwardly and laterally outwardly projecting divergent legs on each end and supported for relative swinging movement of their lower ends toward and away from each other, an article supporting member extending between and joined to the lower ends of each pair of corresponding legs of said pairs of legs, said article supporting members including portions projecting toward and engageable with each other to prevent the lower end portions of the legs of each pair of legs from swinging toward each other, said portions of said article supporting members being selectively shiftable toward overlapped positions with the legs of each pair of legs disposed in side by side closely adjacent relation.

6. An article holding device comprising an elongated handle defining portion including a pair of downwardly and laterally outwardly projecting divergent legs on each end and supported for relative swinging movement of their lower ends toward and away from each other, an article supporting member extending between and joined to the lower ends of each pair of corresponding legs of said pairs of legs, said article supporting members comprising horizontal panel-like sections having article receiving openings formed therein, said openings including diameters along which the lower ends of the legs supporting the corresponding panel-like sections are spaced, said article supporting members including portions projecting toward and engageable with each other to prevent the lower end portions of the legs of each pair of legs from swinging toward each other, said openings including diameters along which the lower ends of the legs supporting the corresponding panel like sections are spaced, whereby said openings are registered when said article supporting portions are shifted to said overlapped positions.

7. An article holding device comprising an elongated handle defining portion including a pair of downwardly and laterally outwardly projecting divergent legs on each end and supported for relative swinging movement of their lower ends toward and away from each other, an article supporting member extending between and joined to the lower ends of each pair of corresponding legs of said pairs of legs, said article supporting members comprising horizontal panel-like sections having article receiving openings formed therein, said portions of said article supporting members being selectively s'hiftable toward overlapped positions with the legs of each pair of legs disposed in side by side closely adjacent relation and said openings registered,

8. An article holding device comprising an elongated handle defining portion including a pair of downwardly and laterally outwardly projecting divergent legs on each end and supported for relative swinging movement of their lower ends toward and away from each other, an article supporting member extending between and joined to the lower ends of each pair of corresponding 'legs of 6 said pairs of legs, said portions of said article supporting members being selectively shiftable toward overlapped positions with the legs of each pair of legs disposed in side by side closely adjacent relation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,298,209 10/1942 Gray 294-87.2 2,334,907 11/ 1943 Cothran 29433 2,395,755 2/1946 Parks 29487.26 2,615,750 10/1952 OSullivan. 3,094,259 6/1963 Diehl 224-48 3,297,350 1/1967 Hidding 294-33 ALBERT I. MAKAY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

